WilcoHess Rolls Out 'WilcoHess On The Go' App

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- WilcoHess, which recently partnered with OpenStore by GasBuddy for its new website, has just launched the WilcoHess On The Go app.

This new initiative will offer customers digital in-store deals and coupons capable of being scanned at point of sale, real-time gasoline prices, a store locator for social media promotions, a Spin & Win game and several additional nontraditional promotions and sweepstakes.

Over the past year, WilcoHess has strategically realigned its nontraditional marketing and branding strategies to focus on tapping into a new industry demographic and, in turn, drive sales by reaching the consumer on a different level. Dedicated to providing excellence in customer service and competitive prices, WilcoHess leverages its products and prices in conjunction with a "neighborhood-store" feel.

Partnering with OpenStore by GasBuddy, WilcoHess' release of its new website, www.WilcoHess.com, features individual store profiles, a CEO blog and a newly designed store locator.

Hess Corp. also used OpenStore for its Hess Express mobile app and redesigned website, www.HessExpress.com. WilcoHess and Hess worked together to provide platforms with similar functionality for ease of use by Hess and WilcoHess customers in the same markets.

"With these social and mobile initiatives, our company will be better equipped to meet our customer's needs on a much more tailored level, as well as offer more personalized deals and ultimately build brand loyalty," said Larry Lytle, vice president of marketing for WilcoHess.

"Our industry is changing, and we are committed to being on the leading edge of emerging technologies and strategies that will allow us to adapt to the shift that is reshaping the fabric of the American society and subsequently, our customer. It falls in line with a new direction for our company; a direction where we will focus on building customer relationships in a new way and communicate with them on a more personal level," he said.

"Essentially, with the results of our nontraditional strategies and features of our new mobile app, we're putting 'convenience' back in 'convenience stores' and 'travel' back in 'travel plazas'--proving we've never lost sight of what the business is really about," added Lytle.

Jason Toews, CEO and co-founder of OpenStore, said, "Rapid advances in social media empower c-stores and customers alike. This trend is quickly accelerating and truly ensuring that customers engage with c-stores to produce innovative and attractive marketing and loyalty offers in addition to reliable messages and brand experience," he said. "Expansion into the world of mobile apps is fun and exceptionally rewarding for both WilcoHess and their loyal customers. OpenStore provides the tools for WilcoHess to increase sales, drive customer loyalty, and leverage them to a new level of success."

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based WilcoHess is a chain of 388 stores that was founded in 1963 by A.T. Williams Oil Co. In 2001, through a partnership with Amerada Hess, WilcoHess LLC was born. In 2005, WilcoHess merged with Trade Oil, which added 100 stores to the WilcoHess brand.

Brooklyn, Minn.-based OpenStore by GasBuddy is a solution that increases customer loyalty by providing two-way communication with customers using web technologies and custom-branded mobile applications. The OpenStore dashboard makes it easy to collect customer feedback, manage social media, deliver mobile coupons and push out text message campaigns all from one single location.

Since 2003 CSP magazine has ranked No. 1 in readership and market share over all other industry publications. C-store marketers have identified CSP as the preferred magazine source for their trade marketing communications. With industry-leading, highly targeted circulation to more than 100,000 subscribers, CSP reaches the key convenience retailing decision-makers fifteen times a year.